Originally, the series was intended to be a non-canon version of Superman, showcasing his origin and updating him for the 21st century. Soon after, it was decided to adopt the series as canon, and thus it replaced John Byrne'sThe Man of Steel series as Superman's canonical origin story.[2] The project was given to Mark Waid with the request to create an origin story for Superman set in the 21st century, a series that new readers can understand without any previous knowledge of the character's mythos. This was something Waid had wanted to do since seeing Superman: The Movie for the first time.[3]
By comparison to other origin retellings, Waid wanted some differences. In an attempt to make his character more relatable, his Superman is not infallible, he has problems with his boss, his dry cleaning gets lost and he longs to connect and be accepted. Another difference was having Africa in the origin which, as Waid has it, helps establish Kal-El/Clark as a citizen of the world and demonstrates what kind of journalist he is.[3] The Infinite Crisis storyline altered Superman's history so that Birthright and John Byrne's The Man of Steel mini-series were removed as his canonical origin. This was reinforced by then-monthly Superman writer Kurt Busiek's statement that the post-Infinite Crisis Superman's origin had yet to be established.[4] The new origin was later revealed in the Superman: Secret Origin mini-series.[5]
Publishing history
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2023)
The story begins with a retelling of the destruction of planet Krypton. Jor-El laments the fact that his world accomplished "miracles no one will remember" while he is busy preparing infant Kal-El's voyage. Kal-El's shuttle pod fires into space moments before the planet's destruction. Jor-El and his wife Lara regret that they will never know if Kal-El survives the journey. Time winds forward to present day West Africa, where an ethnic conflict between the fictional Ghuri and Turaaba clans is claiming lives. Clark Kent, a freelance reporter in his early twenties, arrives to interview Ghuri political leader and human rights activist, Kobe Asuru. Their talk is interrupted by an assassination attempt on Asuru. Thanks to the chaos and confusion of the firefight, Kent is able to save Kobe without anyone noticing his superhuman powers and the two quickly become friends. Asuru's sister Abena, however, is suspicious of Kent's motives and even accuses him of acting in a condescending "white savior" manner. The Asurus emphasize the Ghuri tradition of honoring ancestors through wearing symbolic clothing and working for human rights.
Later, Clark interviews the Turaaba politician Rep. Kebile who dislikes Kobe and oppresses Ghuri rights. While protecting Abena from a thrown bomb, Clark hears a commotion and flies back to the rally where Kobe has already been fatally stabbed. Enraged, Clark grabs the fleeing assassin, demanding to know who hired him. The terrified killer points at Kebile, who is besieged with questions and is later forced to resign. Abena becomes her party's leader after her brother's death and now knows Clark is a super-powerful being, but promises to remain silent. Clark returns to Smallville, determined to learn more about his alien heritage. He and his mother Martha unearth his spaceship and use a data tablet that came with it to examine holographic records of Kryptonian history. Inspired by Kobe Asuru's stories of honoring tradition, Clark realizes the S insignia had great significance on Krypton and seemed to symbolize the Kryptonians' hope for a better tomorrow. He refuses to wear a mask while taking flight. Martha's solution is that only Clark's human half requires a disguise. She dresses him in professional, nerdy attire that stands apart from his usual look and gives him prescription glasses to wear. She promises they will refract light so no one will notice his startling blue eyes (which would otherwise give him away). Clark learns to slouch and act nervous and clumsy, to distance his civilian identity from tall, self-assertive Superman.
He travels to Metropolis, a city swarmed with robotic anti-terrorist helicopters, and applies for a position at the Daily Planet, where he sees the publisher, Mr. Galloway, berating Jimmy Olsen for fetching him the wrong yogurt. Lois Lane steps in to defend Jimmy from their superior and Clark is immediately smitten with her. He finally meets Perry White for a one-on-one interview, but it does not go well. Moments later, a miniature robo-chopper hovering outside goes berserk and opens fire on the Daily Planet building. When no one is looking, Clark ducks out to change into his costume and flies off to repel the helicopters. When he rips a radio transmitter off one of the wrecked units, he uses his powers to trace the signal to the incomplete skyscraper in the distance: LexCorp. Clark bursts into Lex Luthor's office, just as Luthor is speaking to someone via radio. He tells Luthor he saw the signals and knows he sabotaged the Army choppers. Luthor explains that no one can convict him on such evidence and demands to know how he is able to fly. At that moment, LexCorp's armored security barges in, with Lois and Jimmy behind them. When Lois asks what Lex's connection is to Metropolis' new hero, Lex pretends to endorse the caped figure and even calls him a friend. The next day, the Daily Planet webpage dubs the hero "SUPERMAN". Luthor is ready with a cover story: a disgruntled Army employee was behind the attacks. LexCorp has stepped in to produce the robotic helicopters now that the Army's model has been recalled. But the LexCorp connection is an unprecedented black mark on Luthor's sterling reputation; Perry decides that Clark has earned his shot.
Lois and Clark visit Lexcorp, where Luthor greets them both, but pretends to have never met Clark. He asserts that he is first and foremost an astrobiologist, and describes many lucrative LexCorp inventions that were designed solely on his theories of possible space life. He then makes an official statement: Superman is not of this Earth. Clark reports Luthor's findings to Perry, who orders he write it up. Clark protests, knowing that the revelation that Superman is an alien will drive people away. Perry insists, saying Luthor is the leading authority on this matter, which is proof enough. When the article gets published, people start being fearful of Superman. While sulking in an empty restaurant, Clark hears a commotion as a suspension bridge across town inexplicably blows up. Superman speeds off to reconnect the bridge cables, but another explosion rocks the bridge. In his office, Lex Luthor watches the disaster and triggers bombs along the support column, making it appear that Superman is the one tearing it down. As the finishing touch, a mechanical drone in the water aims kryptonite radiation at Superman, causing him to collapse.
Realizing he has made an enemy in Luthor, Clark looks back on his childhood, when a young Lex arrived in Smallville. Lex was a quiet genius, but his intelligence alienated him from everyone around him. His parents were unloving and ruthlessly trained him to become the next Einstein. Despite his contemptuous exterior, Lex warmed to Clark when he discovered they shared a common interest: astronomy. Nonetheless, Lex started spending increasing amounts of time locked in his makeshift laboratory next to the Luthor mansion. During one of these periods of seclusion, Clark visited Lex, who allowed Clark inside to unveil his new invention, a sub-space communicator. Lex hoped that with a piece of meteor rock (Kryptonite), he would finally be able to open a wormhole into visions from an alien civilization. Experiencing his first bout of Kryptonite poisoning, Clark started to feel sick. Lex misread Clark's expression and believed he had become afraid of him like everyone else. Dismissing him from the lab and commencing with his experiment, he managed to open a portal into events and times of the planet Krypton, but his generator overloaded and exploded, engulfing the house in flames. Lex, his hair burned off, staggered through the flames to uncover the piece of Kryptonite that was integral to his machine. He neglected his father, who was buried beneath rubble and burning alive. In the present day, Lex recreates his failed experiment in the bowels of the research and is greeted with a wealth of visions from Krypton's past.
The next day, the newspapers blare warnings of an upcoming alien invasion, showing photos of alien warships bearing Superman's insignia. Experts at the Daily Planet analyze the footage and confirm it to be un-doctored and legitimate. Soon afterward, Metropolis is besieged by similar spaceships, along with a giant mechanical spider. They begin killing indiscriminately. Troops empty out of the vehicles in Kryptonian garb, all bearing red capes and S-shields. Just as Superman is about to intervene, Luthor uses the spires of his skyscraper to project a citywide "web" of Kryptonite radiation from which Superman cannot hide. When the police start firing on the vulnerable Superman, he assumes his Clark guise and meets up with Lois, who comments on how sick he looks. Upon returning to the newsroom, which is in chaos, Perry yells at Clark for coming to the office without a story on this crisis. Stripped of his powers and faced with imminent dismissal, Clark leaves a notice of resignation on his desk. When Lois catches him leaving, she calls him a "spineless worm", stating that they have an obligation to the public and she stood up for him. Clark leaves and Lois becomes furious.
The "alien commander", a man dressed in armor, calls himself Van-Gar and declares war on Earth. Clark, his confidence restored by Lois' sermon, dons his costume and charges Van-Gar's troops before they can open fire on a crowd of innocents. Superman labels him and his men "actors", and Van-Gar beats downs the weakened hero, whispering to him they're "not in it for the money". They believe Luthor is right and that Superman will turn on those weaker than him. Meanwhile, Lois sneaks back into the LexCorp building, which Luthor ordered abandoned. While Luthor gives orders to his men over his tele-screen, she grabs his shard of the Kryptonite out of its energy core, disabling the entire machine. Most of the robots attacking Metropolis are revealed as holograms and vanish, along with the Kryptonite web over the city. Back at LexCorp, Luthor grabs the Kryptonite from Lois' hands. When she tells him everyone will know about his hoax, Lex reveals that he placed a Kryptonite bomb inside the suit of every "Kryptonian" soldier. His men don't know about them, but they are primed to go off and take out Superman in the blast. Luthor then shoves Lois off the skyscraper balcony. Superman is still grappling with Van-Gar, whose armor suddenly starts glowing green. He soars up with Van-Gar in his grip, ripping the bomb off moments before it explodes. In the instant before Lois hits the ground, Superman rushes up and catches her.
Superman returns to LexCorp, where Luthor is feverishly trying to reconnect with the static images to Krypton, this time to establish direct contact. Luthor begins requesting to be sent weapons before the machine overloads, embedding several Kryptonite pellets in his face. Visions of Krypton's destruction swirl on the view screen; Kryptonians from many years in the past start seeing the sparring adversaries and wonder if they are real. Jor-El and Lara appear seconds after they have launched baby Kal-El and say goodbye to one another. An awestruck Superman realizes that is his name: Kal-El. The fight continues until a bloodied Luthor lies defeated. Superman runs up and calls out something into the void; but the transmission is cut off too soon, making him think his parents did not get to hear him. In the aftermath, Luthor, now scarred from the Kryptonite shrapnel that sprayed in his face, is facing indictment. Clark Kent writes the article that ruins Luthor's reputation, although Luthor has already assembled his lawyers and will probably beat the charges. "Van-Gar" was actually the leader of a group of extremist survivalists. Clark thanks Lois from dissuading him from quitting, but she reveals that he only has a job because she intercepted Clark's resignation letter. Clark takes the opportunity to try to ask her out and is instantly rebuffed, as Lois seems more interested in Superman.
During the last moments of Krypton, Jor-El and Lara see a static image crackling. A figure, barely visible and wearing the S-shield on his chest, says, "Mother... Father... I made it!" Realizing that their efforts were successful and their son Kal-El had survived to become a great hero, Jor-El and Lara kiss as the building collapses around them in Krypton's final moments.
Collected editions
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (April 2023)
Reception
According to Comicbook Roundup, the series received positive reviews from critics. The series received an average rating of 7.6 out of 10 based on 5 reviews.[6]
In other media
Film
Elements of Superman: Birthright can be found in the film Man of Steel (2013). The scene in which Clark Kent discovers that the kryptonian "S" in his ship is a symbol for "hope" is inspired by Birthright.
Superman: Birthright is one of multiple comic book storylines that inspired the narrative of the upcoming DC Studios film Superman (2025), set in the DC Universe (DCU) franchise.[7]
Related Research Articles
Kryptonite is a fictional material that appears primarily in Superman stories published by DC Comics. In its best-known form, it is a green, crystalline material originating from Superman's home world of Krypton that emits a unique, poisonous radiation that can weaken and even kill Kryptonians. Kryptonite radiation can be transmitted through any element except lead. Thus, Superman has a special lead suit to protect himself from the radiation. There are other varieties of kryptonite, such as red and gold kryptonite, which have different but still generally negative effects.
Alexander Joseph "Lex" Luthor is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. Lex Luthor originally appeared in Action Comics #23. He has since endured as the archnemesis of the superhero Superman.
Krypton is a fictional planet appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, most commonly appearing or mentioned in stories starring the superhero Superman as the world from whence he came. The planet was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and was named after the chemical element krypton. The planet was first mentioned in Action Comics #1 and made its first appearance in Superman #1 (1939).
Jor-El, originally known as Jor-L, is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, Jor-El first appeared in the Superman newspaper comic strip in 1939.
Kryptonians are a fictional extraterrestrial race within the DC Comics universe that originated on the planet Krypton. The term originated from the stories of DC Comics superhero, Superman. The stories also use "Kryptonian" as an adjective to refer to anything created by or associated with the planet itself or the cultures that existed on it.
The Fortress of Solitude is a fictional fortress appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Superman. It is the place where Superman first learned about his true identity, heritage, and purpose on Earth. The fortress functions as a place of solace/occasional headquarters for Superman and is typically depicted as being in frozen tundra, away from civilization. Its predecessor, Superman's "Secret Citadel", first appeared in Superman #17, where it was said to be built into a mountain on the outskirts of Metropolis. By issue #58 it is referred to as the Fortress of Solitude, seems at a glance to be a freestanding castle, and is said to be located in a "polar waste". When the Fortress reappears in 1958 and for the first time takes center stage in a story, it is again an underground complex in a mountainous cliffside.
General Zod is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Superman. The character, who first appeared in Adventure Comics #283, was created by Robert Bernstein and initially designed by George Papp. As a Kryptonian, he exhibits the same powers and abilities as Superman and is consequently viewed as one of his greatest enemies alongside Lex Luthor, Darkseid and Brainiac. He is also well known for his famous catchphrase, "Kneel before Zod!".
Lara is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Jerry Siegel and artist Joe Shuster, Lara first appeared in the Superman newspaper comic strip in 1939. Lara is the biological mother of Superman, and the wife of scientist Jor-El. Lara Lor-Van is Lara's full maiden name, as "Lor-Van" is the name of Lara's father. Most depictions of Kryptonian culture show that Kryptonian women use their father's full name as their last names before marriage. After marriage, they usually are known simply by their first names, though various versions show they use their husband's full name or last name as their married last name.
Superman is an American fictional character created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster and featured pervasively in DC Comic books. The character debuted in Action Comics issue #1 in June 1938 and has since become a paradigm for superhero characters.
The Superman dynasty, an extension of the House of El, is a lineage of DC Comics superheroes. The term is used for the descendants of Kal-El, the original Superman, who continue to uphold his legacy of heroism well into the 853rd century, as depicted in the DC One Million crossover. Repeated references to members of the Superman dynasty, as Superman's "descendants" and at least one reference to them as the "blood of his blood" would seem to indicate that they are, in fact, the biological descendants of Superman in some fashion.
The Man of Steel is a 1986 comic book limited series featuring the DC Comics character Superman. Written and drawn by John Byrne, the series was presented in six issues which were inked by Dick Giordano. The series told the story of Superman's modern origin, which had been rebooted following the 1985–1986 series Crisis on Infinite Earths.
The character of Superman was created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, and has been continually published in a variety of DC Comics book titles since its premiere in 1938. There have been several versions of Superman over the years, both as the main hero in the stories as well as several alternative versions.
Superman shield, also known as the Superman logo or the Superman symbol, is the iconic emblem for the fictional DC Comics superhero Superman. As a representation of one of the first superheroes, it served as a template for character design decades after Superman's first appearance. The tradition of wearing a representative symbol on the chest was followed by many subsequent superheroes, including Batman, Green Lantern, the Flash, Wonder Woman, Hawkman, and many others.
The origin of Superman and his superhuman powers have been a central narrative for Superman since his inception, with the story of the destruction of his home planet, his arrival on Earth and emergence as a superhero evolving from Jerry Siegel's original story into a broad narrative archetype over the course of Superman's literary history and as the character's scope continues to expand across comics, radio, television and film.
Superman: Secret Origin is a six-issue monthly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics. The series was written by Geoff Johns and illustrated by Gary Frank, featuring the superhero Superman. The story featured the "definitive" origin of Superman for the modern, post-Infinite Crisis DC Universe continuity, starting with Clark Kent in his pre-teens as Superboy. Within the series he goes on to meet a young Lex Luthor and the Legion of Super-Heroes in Smallville, Kansas, and soon heads to Metropolis where a young adult Clark debuts as Superman.
Kryptonite is the name of a story arc written by Darwyn Cooke and Tim Sale that appeared in Superman Confidential, a monthly series that was published from January 2007 and then later cancelled in April 2008 that told stories set in the character's early years of his career. This arc, the first story from that title, tells the story of Superman's first encounter with kryptonite. Artist Tim Sale described the story's theme as "...Superman learning about vulnerability, and one of the ways that he had to learn it, and ultimately the most personal way, was through his relationship with Lois". With Superman: Secret Origin, it has been assumed this story arc is not in continuity anymore as of 2010.
Superman: The Last Family of Krypton is a comic book limited series, published in 2010. It depicts what could have happened if Superman's parents also arrived on Earth.
Superman (Kal-El) or Clark Kent is a fictional character portrayed by Christopher Reeve in the Warner Bros. Superman film series produced by Ilya and Alexander Salkind and Cannon Films, and is an adaption of the original DC Comics character, Superman. Many actors were interviewed for the part before Christopher Reeve was chosen to fill the role. Superman is portrayed as a superhero who stands for "truth, justice and the American way".
Superman: Man of Tomorrow is a 2020 American animated superhero film based on the DC Comics character Superman. Produced by Warner Bros. Animation, and DC Entertainment, and distributed by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, it is the first installment in the Tomorrowverse. The film is directed by Chris Palmer, and written by Tim Sheridan, and stars Darren Criss and Zachary Quinto. The film depicts the early days of Clark Kent's career as the superhero Superman. It is the 41st film in the DC Universe Animated Original Movies.
Dru-Zod is a fictional character in the DC Extended Universe based on the DC Comics character of the same name. He is portrayed by Michael Shannon. Zod first appeared in the 2013 film Man of Steel, as a rogue general trying to lead a coup against the ruling elite of the planet Krypton, forcing the planet's chief scientist, Jor-El, to send his son Kal-El to Earth. Zod is punished for his war crimes, with him and his subordinates intended to be sent to the Phantom Zone, but following Krypton's destruction, he and his followers escape and follow Kal-El to Earth, forcing him to become Superman and protect the planet and its inhabitants. Shannon's portrayal of Zod has received positive reviews, and the character is considered one of the best villains in the DCEU. Shannon reprised his role in The Flash (2023).
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
